Uses For Coffee Filters

34 Clever Uses For Coffee Filters Other Than Making Coffee

Coffee filters are for making coffee, but a stack has other clever uses that might surprise you. Made from small particles of superabsorbent disposable paper, the filters are great to have on hand for so many reasons.

Better flavor: Simmer flavor into soups, stews, and sauces without having to dig out stems of herbs by using a coffee filter to make a bouquet garni.

Fresh scent: If you love the smell of an apple pie baking, use a coffee filter to simmer spices, which will have your house smelling amazing in minutes.

Soil saver: Keep soil where it belongs, and place a coffee filter at the bottom of pots. It keeps soil from leaking out with the water.

Pack plates safely: Place a coffee filter between plates when packing or storing to protect from scratches when stacking.

Clean your car: Filters are lint-free and so great for cleaning the inside of your car. Just dab the filter with a bit of olive oil, buff your console, and you've got a clean car in no time.

Pack it up: Crumpled coffee filters also make great packing material.

Soak up oil: Because coffee filters are superabsorbent, use for soaking up oil after frying foods. Simply lay a filter flat on a plate, and place your freshly fried goodie on top. Let rest for a minute, and all that excess oil will soak into the filter.

Help with steaming food: Keep your dumplings from sticking, and line your steamer with a coffee filter. Works great when steaming fish, veggies, and other goodies, too.

Cup of tea: Hankering for a cup of tea? If you're without a tea ball, use a coffee filter for containing loose tea. Or fill the filter with loose tea, orange peels, sliced lemon, and fresh mint, and tie together with cotton string for a tasty sun tea. Here's how to make tea bags from coffee filters.

Polish leather: Reach for a coffee filter instead of a paper towel for polishing leather shoes and furniture.

Oil absorber: Coffee filters are great at absorbing oil. Cut a filter into small squares, and use as a face blotter during your busy day.

Stop bleeding: No one loves razor nicks, but you can stop bleeding fast by tearing off a small section of a coffee filter and pressing over the cut until the bleeding stops.

Snack fix: Coffee filters work wonderfully as a portable boil or snack holder.

Mess catcher: Cover your food while in the microwave with a coffee filter to contain any potential mess.

Polish remover: Instead of reaching for cotton balls, use a coffee filter to remove nail polish. Because they're made up of small particles of paper, they have a bit more texture to help take off that polish fast.

Make homemade dryer sheets: Coffee filters make great dryer sheets. Here's how to make them.

Dampen ashes: Toss used coffee filters over ashes in fire pits or fireplaces to dampen ashes and remove the stale smoke smell.

Get clean: Because they're superdurable, use coffee filters instead of paper towels for making homemade wipes.

Cute bowl: Get crafty with used coffee filters, and DIY this supercute bowl.

Scratch-free pans: Place a coffee filter between your cast iron pans to keep them from scratching and rusting.

Save your carpet: Uh-oh! Cover a spill with a coffee filter before cleaning; it quickly absorbs the liquid.

Press leaves: Use a coffee filter instead of sheets of paper when pressing flowers. The filters absorb moisture from the flowers and leaves quicker.

Soothe eyes: Soak with water and pop in the freezer to use as a cold compress or for depuffing eyes.

Broken cork fix: No more party foul. Cover the top of the wine bottle with a coffee filter and secure with a rubber band to strain wine from a bottle with a broken cork.

Faux flowers: Make fake peonies or faux roses that look even even better than the real thing. The most awesome part? You never have to buy flowers ever again because these will "live" on forever. You can make them to dress up your home or even use them in your wedding. Speaking of weddings, don't forget to check out our coffee filter boutonniere!

Pulp-free: Use a coffee filter to make fresh orange juice that's free of seeds. Wrap a filter around the orange, twist the top, and squeeze. It works with lemons, too.

No more sticky fingers: Stop sticky fingers and stuck-on paper napkins when eating barbecue, and reach for a coffee filter instead. It will absorb the oil from those delicious ribs without sticking to your hands.

Shining windows: Because coffee filters are lint-free, reach for one instead of a paper towel when cleaning windows.

Holiday wreath: Yes, you can use coffee filters to create a beautiful wreath for the holiday season.